Live: Dragons lead despite losing two players in sickening collision

St George Illawarra have a second try.

Left centre Mathew Feagai throws a big dummy and slices through to score from close range.

The Warriors’ right-edge defence is looking shaky, at best.

Flanagan kicks the goal.

Dragons 10

Warriors 0

Right winger Corey Allan has crossed in the corner, but the ref Todd Smith has called the final pass forward.

Looking at the replay, and that pass was forward. Good call from ref Smith.

It’s a shocking moment.

Dragons players Jack De Belin and Hamish Stewart have been left motionless on the ground.

The duo both went to tackle the Warriors captain James Fisher-Harris around the legs.

The pair swung around Fisher-Harris and clashed heads.

There is surely no chance of either player returning to the field tonight.

De Belin seems to have regained some composure as he walks off the field.

Stewart still looks unwell.

After bombing a try five minutes ago, Mathew Feagai has redeemed himself.

Feagai crashed onto a short pass from Kyle Flanagan on the final play of the set.

Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki does his best to hold up the Dragon, but Feagai is too strong.

Flanagan misses the kick from the left.

Warriors captain James Fisher-Harris dropped a ball in a play the ball, then gave away a high tackle penalty, which gave the Dragons great field position.

Dragons 4

Warriors 0

St George Illawarra had the first chance to score, and it looked a certainty.

The Dragons went through hands to the left and centre Mathew Feagai has made a big break.

He has run 50 metres, and he has two options. He can pass left to winger Christian Tuipulotu, who is struggling to keep pace.

Or he has Lyhkan King-Togia on his right.

Feagai chooses to engage Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki, then tries an offload to King-Togia. But it is an awful pass that goes three metres in front of King-Togia.

Warriors survive.

The Warriors and Dragons are trading sets at the moment — three each to be specific.

It has been an arm wrestle in the middle of the field.

Warriors hookerWayde Egan, on return from injury, looks threatening around the ruck.

Referee Todd Smith blows his whistle, and we are underway at Mt Smart Stadium.

The Dragons will have the first use of the ball tonight, running to the left of your screen.

It is a solid set from both attack and defence, with the Dragons kicking clear from around the halfway.

This is the second week of the Indigenous Round in the NRL.

The Warriors have been led onto the field by captain James Fisher-Harris, followed by a traditional ceremony, which has been received by the Dragons.

This weekend Ali Brigginshaw, Isabelle Kelly, and Keeley Davis will become the first NRLW players to notch 50 games in the competition.

Considering there have only been 55 weeks of the NRLW since its inception in 2018, including finals and grand final,s it is a mighty achievement.

The New Zealand Warriors spent 16 weeks inside the NRL’s top four.

But three straight losses have left them in fifth, entering this weekend.

With Penrith’s loss last night, a win tonight for the Warriors will elevate them back into fourth.

Coach Andrew Webster says errors inside the opposition half has been a massive issue for them over the past three weeks.

“Our big thing for the last three weeks, we often let the opposition out of their own end via mistake or a penalty,” Webster tells Fox Sports.

“We’ve just got to be smarter and a bit more well-connected.”

St George Illawarra have defeated Canberra and Cronulla in the past two weeks.

Of their 12 losses this season, most of them have been by a single-digit margin.

Coach Shane Flanagan has spoken to Fox Sports and said slippery conditions tonight in Auckland mean he wants his team to play controlled footy.

“I’d like us to just continue doing what we’re doing,” he says.

“We’ve been really controlled and disciplined, and completing our sets, which puts us in the game.”

There was some news around contracts this afternoon.

Starford To’a will remain at Wests Tigers until 2028.

Marion Seve sported protective goggles in his return to the NRL on Thursday after a “traumatic” eye injury in June almost blinded him.

Read the full story by tapping the link below.

Penrith captain Nathan Cleary says Storm captain Harry Grant “played for” a penalty as Cleary slotted a potentially game-winning field goal only for referee Ashley Klein to call it back late in their NRL showdown.

Catch up on the big talking point from Melbourne’s golden point win over Penrith by tapping the link below.

The New Zealand Warriors have lost their past three NRL matches.

They entered this round fifth on the ladder, one point behind fourth-placed Penrith.

But with Penrith losing last night, the Warriors can retake fourth on the ladder.

However, if their losing run continues, their hopes of the top four could be all but dashed.

A loss tonight and wins to the Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks this weekend would drop the Warriors down to seventh.

The Dragons have made a late change ahead of kick-off this evening.

Christian Tuipulotu (number 22) is going to play on the wing, after initially being named on an extended bench.

Tyrell Sloan (number 2) is now out of the 17-man team, and is the 18th man for tonight’s clash.

Here is when the footy begins in your state or territory this evening:

New Zealand Warriors vs St George Illawarra Dragons:

• 6pm AEST: NSW, ACT, Qld, Vic, Tas
• 5:30pm ACST: South Australia, Northern Territory
• 4pm AWST: Western Australia

Sydney Roosters vs Canterbury Bulldogs:

• 8pm AEST: NSW, ACT, Qld, Vic, Tas
• 7:30pm ACST: South Australia, Northern Territory
• 6pm AWST: Western Australia

Good evening, Australia.

Welcome back to ABC Sport’s live digital coverage of the 2025 NRL premiership season.

Round 24 continues tonight with two matches, both with finals implications:

New Zealand Warriors vs St George Illawarra Dragons

Sydney Roosters vs Canterbury Bulldogs

You can follow the live action on the blog, and listen to the live call of both matches throughout the evening.

Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts on all things footy, in the comment section.